1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information providing service system including a server, which includes a plurality of communication interface, and a plurality of clients, each of which includes at least a communication interface, which are connected with each other via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an information providing system, a server provides a client with information which is stored in the server.
However, in the prior information providing systems, a client has carelessly selected a communication path to a server, without determining between the server and the client whether or not the communication path has been preferably selected. Thus, the client can not select a preferred communication path among a plurality of communication paths which are secured by the server, because it can not recognize, for example, a communication load between the server and the client.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an information providing system capable of selecting a preferred communication path among a plurality of communication paths.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing system including a server and at least one client which are connected with each other via a plurality of communication paths, wherein the server comprises
receiving means for receiving a request message which is sent from the at least one client,
communication path identifying means for identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information,
transmitting means for transmitting to the at least one client a communication path message for specifying the communication path which is identified by the communication path identifying means and
service providing means for transmitting the service information to the at least one client; and
wherein the at least one client comprises
transmitting means for transmitting to the server the request message for requesting the service information to be provided,
receiving means for receiving the communication path message sent from the server;
communication path switching means for switching the communication path, which is used for communicating with the server for the service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the receiving means; and
service utilizing means for receiving the service information which is sent from the server via the communication path switched by the communication path switching means.
According to the present invention, the communication path identifying means identifies a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for the service information. The transmitting means in the server transmit to the at least one client the communication path message for specifying the communication path which is identified by the communication path identifying means. The communication path switching means switches a communication path, which is used for communicating with the server for the service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the receiving means in the at least one client. The service utilizing means receives the service information which is transmitted from the server via the communication path, which is switched by the communication path switching means. The service providing means transmits the service information to the at least one client via the communication path, which is identified by the communication path identifying means. As a result of this, a preferred communication path among the plurality of communication paths can be selected.
The server may further comprise service management means for controlling communication conditions for communicating with the at least one client for service information; and
the communication path identifying means may identify a communication path to be used for communicating with the client as to spread communication loads between the server and the client. In this case, a preferred communication path among the plurality of communication paths can be selected, to which communication path the spread communication loads in the server are given.
The server may further comprise identifier storage means for storing identifier information identifying a communication path;
the transmitting means in the server may transmit to the at least one client a communication path message which contains the identifier information stored in the identifier storage means, the identifier storage means specifying the communication path identified by the communication path identifying means;
the receiving means in the at least one client may receive the communication path message which is transmitted by the transmitting means in the server; and
the communication path switching means in the at least one client may switch a communication path in accordance with the identifier information which is contained in the communication path message received by the receiving means.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing system including a server and at least one client which are connected with each other via a plurality of communication paths, the system comprising:
client-side transmitting means for transmitting a request message for requesting service information to be provided, to the server;
server-side receiving means for receiving the request message which is sent from the client-side transmitting means;
communication path identifying means for identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information;
server-side transmitting means for transmitting, to the at least one client, a communication path message for specifying the communication path which is identified by the communication path identifying means;
client-side receiving means for receiving the communication path message which is sent from the server-side transmitting means;
communication path switching means for switching the communication path to be used for communicating with the server for the service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the client-side receiving means;
service utilizing means for receiving the service information sent from the server via the communication path which is switched by the communication path switching means; and
service providing means for transmitting the service information to the at least one client via the communication path which is identified by the communication path identifying means.
According to the present invention, the communication path identifying means identifies a communication path to be used for communicating with the client for the service information. The server-side transmitting means transmits, to the at least one client, the communication path message for specifying the communication path which is identified by the communication path identifying means. The communication path switching means switches the communication path to be used for communicating with the server for the service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the client-side receiving means. The service utilizing means receives the service information, which is sent from the server via the communication path switched by the communication path switching means. The service providing means transmits the service information to the at least one client via the communication path which is identified by the communication path identifying means. Accordingly, a communication path can be preferably selected from the plurality of communication paths.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a server which is connected to at least one client via a plurality of communication paths, the server comprising:
receiving means for receiving a request message which is transmitted from the at least one client;
communication path identifying means for identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information;
transmitting means for transmitting a communication path message for specifying the communication path identified by the communication path identifying means, to the at least one client; and
service providing means for transmitting service information to the at least one client.
According to the present invention, the communication path identifying means identifies a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information. The transmitting means transmits a communication path message for specifying the communication path identified by the communication path identifying means to the client. The service providing means transmits the service information to the client. Accordingly, a preferred communication path among the plurality of communication paths can be selected
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided at least one client which is connected to a server via a plurality of communication paths, the client comprising:
transmitting means for transmitting to the server a request message for requesting service information to be provided;
receiving means for receiving a communication path message which the server has transmitted;
communication path switching means for switching a communication path to be used for communicating with the server for service information, in accordance with the communication path message which the receiving means has received; and
service utilizing means for receiving the service information which is transmitted from the server via the communication path switched by the communication path switching means.
According to the present invention, the transmitting means may transmit to the server the request message for requesting service information to be provided. The receiving means may receive the communication path message which the server has transmitted thereto. The communication path switching means may switch the communication path to be used for communicating with the server for service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the receiving means. The service utilizing means receives the service information which is transmitted from the server via the communication path switched by the communication path switching means. Accordingly, a preferred communication path among the plurality of communication paths can be selected.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing method in which a server and at least one client are connected with each other via a plurality of communication paths, the method comprising:
transmitting from the at least one client to the server a request message for requesting service information to be provided;
receiving the request message which is transmitted from the at least one client to the server;
identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information;
transmitting, from the server to the at least one client, a communication path message for specifying the identified communication path;
receiving the communication path message which is transmitted to the at least one client;
switching the communication path to be used for communicating with the server for the service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the at least one client;
transmitting the service information to the at least one client via the identified communication path; and
receiving the service information which is transmitted from the server via the switched communication path.
According to the present invention, the server or the at least one client identifies a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for the service information. The server transmits, to the at least one client, a communication path message for specifying the identified communication path. The at least one client switches the communication path to be used for communicating with the server, in accordance with the received communication path message. The at least one client receives the service information which is transmitted from the server via the switched communication path. The server transmits the service information to the at least one client via the identified communication path. As a result, a preferred communication path among the plurality of communication paths can be selected.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium which records programs for transmitting and receiving information providing services between a server and at least one client, both of which are connected with each other via a plurality of communication paths, the medium recording the programs for executing:
a client-side transmitting step of transmitting, to the server, a request message for requesting service information to be provided;
a server-side receiving step of receiving the request message which is transmitted by the client-side transmitting step;
a communication path identifying step of identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information;
a server-side transmitting step of transmitting a communication path message for specifying the communication path identified by the communication path identifying step, to the at least one client;
a client-side receiving step of receiving the communication path message which is transmitted by the server-side transmitting step;
a communication path switching step of switching the communication path to be used for communicating with the server for the service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the client-side receiving step;
a service utilizing step of utilizing the service information which is transmitted from the server via the communication path switched by the communication path switching step; and
a service providing step of transmitting the service information to the at least one client via the communication path identified by the communication path identifying step.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium which records programs for transmitting information providing services to at least one client, which is connected via a plurality of communication paths, the medium recording the programs for executing:
a receiving step of receiving a request message which is transmitted from the at least one client;
a communication path identifying step of identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client for service information;
a transmitting step of transmitting, to the at least one client, a communication path message for specifying the communication path identified by the communication path identifying step; and
a service providing step of transmitting the service information to the at least one client.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium which records programs for requesting information providing services to a server, which is connected via a plurality of communication paths, the medium recording programs for executing:
a transmitting step of transmitting, to the server, a request message for requesting service information to be provided;
a receiving step of receiving a communication path message transmitted from the server;
a communication path switching step of switching a communication path to be used for communicating with the server for service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the receiving step; and
a service utilizing step of receiving the service information transmitted from the server via the communication path switched by the communication path switching step.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the data signal being processed in a server which is connected to at least one client via a plurality of communication paths, the computer data signal comprising:
a receiving code segment for receiving a request message which is transmitted from the at least one client;
a communication path identifying code segment for identifying a communication path to be used for communicating with the at least one client;
a transmitting code segment for transmitting, to the at least one client, a communication path message for specifying the communication path identified by the communication path identifying code segment; and
a service providing code segment for transmitting service information to the at least one client via the communication path identified by processing the communication path identifying code segment.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the present invention, there is provided a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the data signal being processed in at least one client which is connected to a server via a plurality of communication paths, the computer data signal comprising:
a transmitting code segment for transmitting, to the server, a request message for requesting service information to be provided;
a receiving code segment for receiving a communication path message which is transmitted from the server;
a communication path switching code segment for switching a communication path to be used for communicating with the server for service information, in accordance with the communication path message received by the receiving code segment; and
a service utilizing code segment for receiving service information which is transmitted from the server via the communication path switched by processing the communication path switching code segment.